An inner playdate

by Bernard De Koven on October 4, 2012

If you have been fortunate enough to read the previous three posts, you are probably ready for your first playdate. Allow me, therefore, to introduce you to two of my all-time favorite playmates, who are probably also yours: Silly and Serious.

In preparation for the arrival of both Silly and Serious, some of us might want to be sitting, alone, in a very quiet place, with a mirror. Others might just want to pretend that they are doing that.

Take out your two-sided mirror (not included). If you can’t find a two-sided mirror, you can use a one-sided mirror (also not included) and a double-flip (see following). If you can’t find a mirror or anything at all anywhere around that you can see yourself in, try using your Imaginary Mirror (included).

Look into your mirror and make a face that is definitely Serious. Take your time. And give it time. Until the face you see is inarguably, indubitably, and in deed, the face of you, being Serious.

Now flip your mirror over, and do the same thing until the face you see there is, most typically and unmistakably you, being Silly.

(Here’s where you, if you have a one-sided mirror, must use the aforementioned double-flip.)

Now flip the mirror over and see if your Serious face is still as unmistakably Serious as it was when you last saw it.

And flip the mirror over again, and check out your Silly self. Check out your silly self!

And again flip and again flip, randomly, seeing you can catch one of them off-guard.